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Turin, 15 November 2019. Approximately 1,500 participating businesses based throughout Italy, 307 finalist businesses, eleven meetings held in major Italian cities and six businesses awarded for the excellence of policies implemented in favour of gender equality. Following the remarkable success and participation recorded by the first three editions, the "Women Value Company - Intesa Sanpaolo Award", born out of the collaboration between the Marisa Bellisario Foundation and Intesa Sanpaolo Group, is held in 2020 too.

The award is dedicated to small and medium-sized enterprises that stand out in the management of gender diversity, through innovative and inclusive development policies, promotion of female careers and effective corporate welfare solutions.

The 4th edition of the "Women Value Company - Intesa Sanpaolo Award" is launched today by issuing a call for small and medium-sized public and private enterprises (based on criteria set out in European Commission Recommendation 2003 361/EC) that have a majority Italian capital, are not part of a group, and have a strong financial performance track record. They are also to stand out for their application of policies that value women's work and gender diversity management, including services that maintain a family/work life balance; initiatives designed to guarantee male and female employees a stress-free management of their time within the company (benefits, vouchers, in-house nurseries etc.); flexible organisation of work policies; non-discriminatory merit-based remuneration policies; development and promotion of skills and careers for women, with a strong presence of women in managerial or top-level positions.

Businesses that meet these criteria may apply by 16 February 2020 by completing the online questionnaire published on the websites www.intesasanpaolo.com, in the Business Section, and www.fondazionebellisario.org. Intesa Sanpaolo will choose from its own customer companies a panel of small and medium-sized enterprises, inviting them to participate in the screening process.

Also this year, the two winning enterprises, one small and one medium-sized, will be announced in June next year in Rome during the award ceremony of the XXXII edition of the Marisa Bellisario «Donne ad alta quota» Award, during which they will be called on stage to collect the special "Golden Apple - Intesa Sanpaolo Women Value Company".

All the other businesses that pass the screening phase based on requirements established in the call will in any event be given an additional acknowledgement during a series of events promoted in spring throughout Italy. In the first three editions of the award, the roadshow was an extraordinary opportunity to give visibility to best corporate practices and share experiences. All companies have very different stories, and come from entirely dissimilar sectors and areas, but they all have in common the enthusiasm and the intention to convey a basic message, precisely that increasing the participation of women in the employment and business framework will be a strategic factor for Italy's development and economic and social growth.

Lella Golfo, President of the Marisa Bellisario Foundation: "I am grateful to Intesa Sanpaolo for having undertaken this journey with us through Italian excellence which is not only made up of products but also of good practices, sustainable and inclusive thinking and actions. The Italian SMEs we have encountered over the years are fully aware that sustainability is not only financial but also social and of good governance and that a successful company is made up of men and women at the top, without career and pay disparity, with modern and innovative welfare policies. Our goal was and continues to be to bring out the good things that already exist in our manufacturing fabric and to ensure that it can contaminate not only the culture of the companies but of the entire country. Equality, inclusion, sustainability are key to a future of well-being and prosperity, for businesses and society as a whole, and with Women Value Company we are proud to make our contribution so that they may become drivers of change".

Stefano Barrese, Head of the Banca dei Territori Division of Intesa Sanpaolo: «Enhancement, contamination, change: these are the essence of the Women Value Company award, which we have had the privilege to share with the Marisa Bellisario Foundation for the fourth consecutive year. Through this award we are giving a voice and visibility to all those businesses, small and medium-sized, which focus on people and merit every day, without prejudice of any kind. For example, we tell stories and experiences of excellence, the successes of a multitude of male and female entrepreneurs from different generations, who have understood that investing in women, equality and welfare means bringing vital energy not only to their company, but to the whole country. And we like to think we can contribute, year after year, to the wider dissemination of an inclusive corporate culture, built on talent and ideas. For Intesa Sanpaolo, this initiative is a fundamental part of the Italian SME enhancement programme, with which we intend to support Made in Italy in the world, excellent companies and those that invest in growth, and build acceleration paths for high innovation content start-ups».

In terms of equal opportunities and inclusion, Intesa Sanpaolo has set a precedent: women represent 53.4% of the entire company population, 38.9% of personnel with managerial responsibilities, 26.1% of executives; specific projects and professional growth paths are active within the Group to encourage training and gender equality; the integrated welfare system has developed over the years with a wide range of solutions, including the time bank, company nurseries, more maternity/paternity leave, smart working, and flexible start and finish times, that practically address the issues of inclusion, time management, and more generally, the ability of employees to strike the balance between their personal and working needs within the company.

In addition to the well-established collaboration with the Marisa Bellisario Foundation, the Intesa Sanpaolo Group stands out for the numerous initiatives that promote gender equality, so much so that it is the only Italian company included on the 2019 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI), that assesses the commitment and actions taken by major globally listed companies.

Intesa Sanpaolo Intesa Sanpaolo is one of the soundest and most profitable banks in Europe, offering commercial banking, corporate investment banking, asset management and insurance services. It is the leading Bank in Italy, with approximately 12 million customers who are assisted through both digital and traditional channels. The Group's international subsidiary banks serve 7.2 million customers across Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Intesa Sanpaolo is considered one of the most sustainable banks in the world. For the Group, creating value means being a driver of social and economic growth. As regards the environment, the Group has set up a 5-billion-euro fund for the circular economy. Intesa Sanpaolo supports major economic inclusion and poverty reduction projects, including an impact fund of 1.2 billion euro for loans available to social groups who struggle to access credit. Intesa Sanpaolo has a high level of involvement in cultural initiatives, organised by itself or in collaboration with other entities in Italy and abroad. These include permanent and temporary exhibitions showcasing the Bank's impressive artistic heritage at the Gallerie d'Italia, the Group's three museums located in Milan, Naples and Vicenza.